Changes will be made at Ipswich in the summer vowed Town chairman David Sheepshanks.

The Blues supremo paid tribute to the players and fans after their gallant play-off failure for the third successive season.

While Premiership vultures hover for the rich pickings Sheepshanks admitted it will be impossible to hang on to all their young stars.

He said: "Everyone at the football club is devastated at losing out on Wednesday. But all I can say to all the fans is keep the faith. I know how they are feeling but I hope they remain proud of the club they support.

"We will take stock in the summer and we will come back even stronger.

"I can not guarantee what will happen in the summer but it is inevitable there will be changes. We are in the business of improving Ipswich every year and when people come back for the new season we will give them something to cheer.

"It doesn't seem there is any justice for us. But year on year we have improved and after finishing seventh, fourth, fifth and third, by definition we can only go up."

Sheepshanks is campaigning to become FA chairman and appoint a new chief executive to run Ipswich Town.

He said: "Whatever happens I am committed to Ipswich Town, my roots and devotion are to the club and I hope I can continue to play a valuable role as long as I'm wanted as chairman of the club."

The devastated Ipswich players have called off their traditional end-of-season holiday abroad.

One player said: "The lads are too down. They asked they Gaffer if they didn't have to go and he agreed.

"The break is so short anyway, a lot of the lads just wanted to be with their families."

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